Dreaming of a white Christmas

The effect of snow on people is quite interesting. Especially here in dark Norway. November is traditionally the most dreary month because it is just getting darker and darker and there is usually no snow. But when it snows, everything changes. Suddenly, it appears to be much lighter outside, and going outside isn't just something to get through, it can suddenly become this wonderfully aesthetic experience. Children (and older children :P) play outside and the trees are really pretty.

So pretty and white and pure *sigh of contentment*

But snow is just solid water - why do we love it so much and wish for it for Christmas? To many people, it is an essential part of spreading Christmas cheer. But it also means slippery roads and pavements - so it is best to wish for snow when you have no place to go (let it snow, let it snow, let it snow). Some people celebrate Christmas in places where there is no chance for snow, like Australia or Texas, USA. But here in Norway, snow is a part of the weather report that we enjoy talking a lot about. Especially those who like to go skiing. The amount of snow in the mountains during the winter also affects the price of our electricity, and is therefore discussed thoroughly.

I expect most of you know what snow actually is - ice crystals formed in the clouds which don't melt on the way down. Every natural snowflake is unique, but in a lab it is possible to make two identical ones. For chemists and biologists, one of the most interesting properties of water is that the solid is less dense than the liquid. So then you get an isolating layer of ice on top of lakes, and fish can survive on the bottom. Another interesting property is that if you exert pressure on ice, it melts. That is part of the reason that ice is so slippery - especially on skates.

I mostly enjoy the visual aspect of snow - I don't particularly like to walk on slippery roads. But when there is new snow on the trees and the ground, every sound is muffled, and each step either sounds crunch es or creaks, it is absolutely wonderful. Sometimes it feels as though I have stepped into a magical land - Narnia or something like it. I am dreaming of a white Christmas - are you?

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